COLD ONES ― jacob black ✓

38. VOLTURI

Bella agreed that she should be the one to tell Jacob instead of me, because I knew I didn't have it in me to tell him that he'd have to go if all plans to stop this thing went south. It'll break us, and tear me in half, but we have to do our part for an innocent child that doesn't deserve all this hurt.

-

According to Edward's gleeful morning announcement, we only have a day left before the snow sticks to the ground and the Volturi finally arrives. Every day we watch our witnesses go in and out of the city, the farther they have to be from the perimeter of Washington and the shapeshifters just to feed, and every day, my hope continued to grow even though worry gnawed and ate my crumbling resolve. It didn't help that Bella hadn't really told Jacob of the plan just yet, but at the rate of our worries piling up, I wasn't sure which of them I was more nervous about.

In Alice's final vision, before they disappeared, we knew the Volturi would give us the opportunity to choose our fighting ground. Carlisle, Edward, and I scoured through the woods a day before to find us a strategic point, and rather funnily, we found ourselves at the same place where Victoria tried to corner us and separate us from each other—have me killed. That morning, everyone decided to camp over and wait it out, hoping some miracle would pass us by, even the tiniest bit of it, I'd gladly accept with open arms.

"What's got you thinking, buffy?" I was looking over the cold mountains when Paul strolled by, confidently shirtless despite the snow drifting through the sky.

"I think you got the wrong reference." I laughed, but he shook his head.

"I guess we'll find out after tomorrow then?" I didn't like how there's the looming idea that we'll all have to fight one way or another if the Volturi got violent, but I try not to think of it as I turned back to the mountains. "Are you okay?"

"As fine as someone would be while rethinking all the times I've fought with the Volturi. I know their ways, Carlisle and I have shared some eternity with them, and yet I've considered myself fearful at the prospect of facing them head-on. And for some reason, I'm ashamed to admit that I almost trusted them not to do this."

Paul sighed, dropping to the ground next to me. "You don't have to be ashamed about trusting the people that once became your friends."

"Friends that are coming to kill me if I make just one wrong move." I huffed, and the silence loomed over us for a while.

"Hey, Jade." He called, and I turned to him. "I guess if there's a right time for me to say it, it should be now, right?"

My brows furrowed. "Are you going to confess to a sin?" I joked, but to my surprise, he didn't laugh.

"I, uh—I'm glad to have you as my friend, Jadey. I never thanked you enough for helping me, for helping Rachel adjust back home, and for always watching our backs even if you never really have to." My chest nearly fell on the ground as I dropped fast enough to envelop him in an embrace, so tight I could hear him almost struggle to breathe, but what I felt was too much to ignore or hold my composure still. "I hope you always know, even if Rachel and I are miles away from La Push, we'll be there the minute you need us to kick Jacob's ass."

I couldn't speak or my empty guts would threaten to hurl from so much love that I could feel in my chest.

"Should I be jealous?" Jacob appeared atop the bank and Paul began to laugh as he pulled my arm close.

"Oh, definitely." He murmured, while my husband practically tore him off of me and flipped him off.

"Sam's looking for you, stupid." Jake said and Paul scampered off, still laughing as he walked away and waved last. "What was that about?" He asked amusingly, a small smile on his lips.